Transmission control



y 1953 o. w. SCHOTZ TRANSMISSION CONTROL 3 Sheets-Sheet].

Filed July 31, 1946 M W M MN SS k SN? mam m. n 5 W May 12, 1953' o. w. SCHO TZ 2,633,193

TRANSMISSION CONTROL Filed July 31, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0X22 %\2'}azz.

May 12, 1953 o. w. SCHOTZ TRANSMISSION CONTROL Filed July 31, 1946 1/0 A20 ld 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

0%? Wi v2 H TA/r/VEK Patented May 12, 1953 TRANSMISSION QQN'JEROIz Otto W. Schot-g, Detroit, Mich, ass} or to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, a corporation of Delaware Application J 111): 31, 194a, Serial No. 681,248

8 Claims.

This invention relates to automotive vehicle transmission controls and more, particularly to a mechanism by which the vehicle driver may initiate a change in transmission speed; ratio drive and? means: to prevent the driver from interrupt.-

ing the operation of the mechanism before the change is effected.

Apparatuses for automatically changing speed ratio drives in motor vehicle transmissions have.

been developed. These apparatuses are usually responsive to driver signal as for example by throttle closing within predetermined vehicle speed, limits to initiate a, cycle including a change in transmission speed ratio drive. These apparatuses require an interval of time for the change in speed ratio drive to occur. Means are provided herein to prevent the driver from interrupting the cycle of this apparatus once he has initiated its action. Such interruption would be very undesirable, with an apparatus which is activated by releasing the accelerator pedal at the proper vehicle speed. If the driver steps on the accelerator pedal before the interval of time required for the completion of the change has elapsed no. speed ratio drive will be in effect and the engine then will not be operatively connected to the vehicle driving wheels. This is a very undesirable situation which might cause accidents. For example, if in traffic 2. driver signals for a change in speed ratio drive and then observes an oncoming vehicle which it appears will collide with his vehicle, the natural tendency is for the driver, in panic, to depress. the accelerator pedal. If the shift is interrupted as explained above, the vehicle. will coast and the engine will race, whereif a means had been provided to prevent the driver from interrupting the change in speed ratio drive, a driving" connection between the engine and vehicle wheels would have been obtained in a relatively short interval of time.

It has been found desirable to incorporate in these apparatuses a means. for preventing the driver from interrupting the cycle of the apparatus in efiecting the change in speed ratio drive. It has also been found to be desirable to provide a positive opera-ting connection between this means and the prime mover of the transmis- The transmission control will be d scribed herein in conjunction with a throttle apparatus as a typical application thereof although it is not intended that the invention be limited to the throttle control apparatus. described.

In the drawings:

si- 1 is a a rammatic viewot a tr nsmissi and l tc ntrol apparatus of; hic m nvcntion forms a component. cart;

2 is a side view of my throt le osing device;

Fig. 3 is, an elevated view of my throttle closing evic ak n on the line 3-3; of. Fig, 2;,

Fig. 4; is a, top plan View of my device; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of my device.

Referring to. I the transmission and clutch control apparatus will be described. A transmission housing It for a standard transmission hav-. ing; three forward speeds and a reverse speed is illustrated as connecting driving shaft, 8 and driven shait it; Housing lo'has a selector lever H and shift lever t2 pivotally' mounted thereon. The fluid coupling; 6 and clutch T operatively connected to the shaft 8 are; shown in conjunction with clutch pedal is and clutch throw-out fork It. Accelerator pedal t5, and carburetor 16' having; throttle lever I? rotatably mounted thereon are also illustrated. The housing t8 for the steering column is shown supporting a manual shift control rod I 53 by bracket lit.

Manual: means. are provid d n the. apparatus illustrated in l tor the operation of the clutch and control of the transmission speed ratiov drive. The clutch pedal [3 rotatably mounted at 21 on a shaft; (not, shown). An extension 13'' of clut pedal. 3 depends below r tatab e moun it and has fixed th r to. a p n 2;- A o qu shaf 23 has one end thereof rotatably mounted on the. vehicle frame (not shown) and the other end rotatabl'y mounted adjacent the engine block (not shown in a m nner well. known in h art. A. ll 4. s rotatably m unt d on torq e sha t 23:. A P f lus 2.5 and 5 ex ending from. ollar 24 normal to the axis thereof term levers by whi t n f, collar 2 on shalt 2.3 is induc d and transm ed to he clut h th ow-out fork I4. ue 26 ha nivotally connected thereto a rod 21 wh ch has a ot 28 in i s opnos te end- Pin 22 of t h pedal t3 ooperates with l t 28. to form a connection which will cause counterclockwise rotation of collar 24 when clutch pedal [3 is rotated counterclockwise but will permit motion of collar 24 independently of pedal l3, as an incident to automatic control to be described herein. A rod 29 operatively connects lug 25 with the clutch throw-out fork l 4. It is, therefore, evident that when the vehicle driver depresses pedal l3 rod 27 is pulled to the right in Fig. 1 thereby rotating collar 24 in a, counterclockwise direction and through lug 25 and rod 29 the clutch throwout forkl4 is rotated about its conventional pivot 54' to disengage the clutch.

The manual shift control rod 19 is slidably mounted in bracket 20 and adapted for both axial and rotary movement. As is usual in the art the axial movement is adapted to select the conventional transmission shift railwhich is to be moved and rotation thereof slides the shift rail in one of two directions (depending upon the direction of rod rotation) to effect the desired transmission speed ratio drive connection. A pair ofspaced circumferential collars 3!! and 3! located adjacent the base of rod 49 receive therebetween the end of a lever 31'; which is rotatably mounted (not shown) adjacent its mid portion to some fixed object such as a .portion of the vehicle body structure. A rod 33 connects lever 32 with transmis- 'sion selector lever H. Axial movement of rod is transmitted through this linkage to selector lever H. f An arm 34 is keyed to rod [9, as by a pin 34' and has connected to the outer end thereof a depending rod 35. A bifurcated lever 36 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 37 and one arm thereof is connected to rod 35. A rod Tl connects the other arm thereof to transmission shift lever I2. Rotation of rod [9 through the linkage just described rotates shift lever l2 for manual transmission control.

In Fig. 1 automatic means have been superimposed on the manual controls just described. An air tight housing 40 containing a cylinder 4| has a tubular connection 42 with the engine intake manifold. A solenoid valve 43 is adapted to selectively open and close this connection and vent cylinder M. A piston 44 is slidably mounted in cylinder 4| and a spring 45 acting on piston 44 and reacting on housing 4!] urges piston 44 to one end of cylinder 4!. Manifold low pressure or vacuum as it is commonly'referred to overcomes spring 45 when valve 43 is open. The piston and housin thus constitute a pressure difierene tial operated motor. Piston rod 46 is connected to arm 47 which is keyed to torque shaft 23. An car 41 on arm 41 is adapted to engage a lug 48 on collar 24. When cylinder 4| is connected with the manifold through valve 43 and tubular passage 42 piston 44 is raised and piston rod 46 rotates arm 41 in a counterclockwise direction. Ear 4'! engages lug 48 on collar 24 to rotate the collar and through lug 25 and rod 29 move clutch throwout fork M to disengage the clutch. The lost motion connection at slot 28 between rod 21 and clutch pedal I3 prevents the .rotation of collar 24 from actuating the clutch pedal I3. When valve 43 closes cylinder 4| tothe manifold and vents the cylinder, spring 45 returns the parts described to their original position permitting the clutch to reengage.

The movement of piston Mnalso effects a change in transmission speed ratio drive. The apparatus is designed to actuate one. shift railselectively in either of two directions. In the preferred form a standard transmission having a the fulcrum 56.

shift rail controlling second speed and direct drive is controlled by movement of piston 44 so that the apparatus herein automatically efiects changes of speed ratio drive between a relatively slow drive of the driven wheels and a relatively fast drive. Arm is keyed to shaft 23 by pin 50'. An alternator, generally designated by the numeral 5| has a rod 52 operatively connected thereto. Alternator 5| is adapted to translate counterclockwise rotation of arm 50 to alternate pushing and pulling motion of rod 52. A support plate 53 is secured to a stationary object (not shown). A pin 55 projects from the surface of plate 53. A lever 55 is fulcrumed at 55 to a bracket 51 supported by plate 53. A pair of upwardly extending fingers 58 and 59 are rotatably mounted on lever 56 on opposite sides of Spring 60 connects fingers 58 and 59 andurges them toward each other. The fingers 58 and 59 have a recessed portion with shoulders 63 adjacent the upper ends thereof. A bifurcated lever 64 is rotatably connected to arm 50 and has a pin 55 mounted on each fork thereof and adapted to engage shoulders 63. Pins El and 62 in plate 53 guide the fingers and cooperate with the arcuate paths of the connections of the fingers with lever 56 to direct the shoulder 63 portion of the fingers toward the pin 55 when the finger occupies its highest position in Fig. l. A link 54 and bellcrank 66 transmit motion of lever 56 to rod 52. In the operation of the alternator with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1 downward motion of arm 55 will pull lever 513 downwardly and one pin 55 will push finger 58 downwardly thereby rotating lever 56 in a counterclockwise direction about fulcrum 55'. raising link 54, rotating bellcrank and pulling rod 52 to the left. With lever 55 in this position finger 59 has been raised and the portion thereof connected to lever 53 has been swung outwardly on an arc about fulcrum 56 with the spring 60 urging the upper portion thereof to the left as far as pin 52 will permit in Fig. 1. When arm 50 is raised the bifurcated lever 64 is centered by the cam action of pin 55 in the crotch thereof so that on its next downward movement the other pin 55 engages shoulder 55 of finger 59 to reverse the movements described above to thereby push on rod 52. Through this mechanism each successive downward motion of arm 55 reverses the movement of rod 52.

Rod 52 is connected to a device which imparts resiliency to the connection between rod 52 and the transmission control lever so that a solid blow or fast, non-yielding force is not applied through shift control lever [2 to the usual transmission synchronizer. Arm it i rotatably mounted on a shaft 3'!. Rod 52 is connected to arm 10. A pin I3 is provided adjacent one end of the lever 35. The other end of lever 35 is bifurcated. Lever 3G is rotatably mounted on the shaft 31 adjacent the lever crotch. An abutment I2 is provided on lever 35 adjacent its bifurcated end. A spring centered on pin 13 has arms 15 and I6 engaging opposite sides of abutment l2 and engaging opposite sides of arms Ill; One leg of the bifurcated end of lever 35 is connected by rod 11 with transmission shift lever l2. The other leg is connected by rod 35 to arm 34 of shift control rod l9. When alternator 5i pulls on rod 52 arm 10 is rotated clockwise compressing spring arm 15 and lifting it away from abutment (2. Spring arm 16 is then no longer in 12 to rotate lever 36 about axis 31 until abut ment i2 is aligned with rod Hi and. thereby mow me. rod: W and lover ta to the left A similar but oppositely direeted motion. transmitted through the spring. delay means when alternator 5! pushes on rod 52. Means to control the aotuationoi piston: M or rovided. A. rounded source 80 or, energy is" connected through radiation. switch i l: to a switch 52 electrical conductor It. switch 82. is adapted to be closed when the: rod 1.! is placed a. redetermined position be the: vehicle driver. This comprises. the means by whioh the. driver selects automatio control. It is desirabl to provide a. clutching means which will opera tively clisconneot the control rod ls from the linkage when the driver selsots automatic drive. This is desirable so that the shirt; control rod will not be moved by the automatic linka movements. This does not form a part or the invention and has not been illustrated herein. Electrical line 84 connects switch so with a. switch or adapted to be closed when the throttle is substantially closed. line. 86 connects switch 85- with a two-way shift rail switch 8? having it-finger to thereon adapted to be. engaged by abutments on an extension 89 of the transmission second and high speed shift rail. A first circuit in switch or is disconnected and a second circuit is connected when the shift rail has completed its shift. This switch movement alternates with each transmission speed ratio change on the second and high speed shift rail. A'vehicle speed responsive governor 91} has one outlet terminal 9l and two inlet terminals 92 and J3 and is adapted to con nee-t the outlet. terminal with one inlet terminal below a predetermined speed and with the other inlet terminal above the predetermined speed. Each inlet terminal is connected to one or the circuits referred to for switch 81.. Line 84 com nests governor terminal 9.1 with solenoid valve 43 in manifold line l2. Line 5'5 grounds the circuit. Valve s3 is adapted to connect. cylinder 4! with the manifold line 42 when energized and to close line 42 and vent cylinder M to atmosphere when not energized.

In the operation oi the apparatus when the driver closes the throttle lever l1 above a prei determined vehicle speed, valve 43 is energized to admit vacuum to cylinder 41-. Piston M is raised. and clutch l disengaged through the link age 46, 47-, 47', 4B, 24, 25, 2a, and M. This motion Of the piston also causes a delayed movement of transmission shift lever ['2 through arm. 4?, shaft 23, alternator 5!, rod 52-, arm H1, lever 36, and rod ll. caused by moving shift lever l2 moves the shift rail extension so breaking the cirouit at switch ill thereby deenergizing solenoid valve 53 and permitting spring to move piston 4.4 to the lower end of the cylinder and permittingv the clutch to reengage. The switch 81 is new conheated with its other circuit preparatory to a repetition of the process when the driver closes throttle lever H below a predetermined governor speed. A transmission downshift is then effected in a manner similar to that described above.

In order that the driver cannot open switch 35 before the shift has been completed I have incorporaterl my novel device in the system. A preferred form is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The linkage connecting throttle lever H with accelerator pedal 15 includes my device. Rod H30 which is fixed to accelerator pedal l5 and mov able therewith is pivotally connected to arm NH of my device at 02. A bracket 03 supports my The change in speed ratio drive Wt and tilt rotatable! mounted therein. A collar ")6 is rotatably mounted. on. shaft. Hi4 and has arm Hi I depending thereirom. Collar We and arm UM form. the driving element. of my device. The driven element ml is keyed to shaft we as by pintv )8. Element. N17. has a depending. arm 09.. A. cell s ur-mgr, I H) surrounds collar 1% and has one leg thereof operatively connected to arm. IM- and; the other leg thereof operatively' connected to arm Hill. It will, therefore, be. evident that under normal operation when pedal id is cle pressed rod mil moves arm l!!! which with collar m6. rotates about shaft HM and through spring H0 arm- Hll) of element till is rotated thereby rototing-element NH and shaft lM. Shaft M has an upwardly extending crank element I 55 there-' on which has connected thereto at lid a for,- ward'ly extending rod HT which is connected to throttle lever ll. Thus rotation of shaft Min duces rotation of the throttle lever l1. Cooperatin; ear H9 and screw I ill of arms H19 and Ni limit relative motion in one direction.

Means have been provided to interrupt this action when the piston Ml moves. Ear 4'! of arm 41 has connected thereto a rod i210. The shaft previously referred to has a crank 12E keyed thereto. Rod I28) is operatively connected to crank l2l. Arm i22 keyed to shaft has a cam surface H23 thereon. Element It! has projecting rearwardly therefrom an arm 124. In operation. when the driver releases the accelerator pedal and the mechanism describedv opens valve 43 to connect cylinder 96 with the manifold and move piston. 44 the movement of element Hll in response to movement of accelerator pedal I5 is blocked. by cam surface 123 of arm 122. When piston 44 begins to move upwardly in Fig. 1. rod 46 rotates arm 4"! and ear ll thereby pulling down on rod I20 and rotating shaft lil i in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2. Arm I22 and surface I23. move into a position which blocks arm I24... Rotation of rod HM is then impossible and depression of accelerator pedal ill will only wind up spring I It. When the mechanism described closes. and vents valve 43 and spring &5 returns piston 44. to its original position arm :22 is lifted upwardly in Fig. 2 thereby releasing element llil and permitting rotation thereof through spring H0.

A. modified form of the device is illustrated in Fig. 5. In this form the accelerator pedal l5 is connected to rod H ll which is operatively connected to one leg of a helloranlr 33d rotatably mounted at 13!. The other lee, of the bellorank has. rod [32 connected thereto. rotatably mounted thereon the element 534 and hellcrank l35. Element i3 1 has an ear adapted to limit relative motion of bellcrank (35 in one direction. Rod IE2 is operatively con nected to element lid. The upper leg of hellcrank {35 has throttle control rod ill fastened thereto. A spring (3? one end thereof engaging the lower surface of element tilt and the other end thereof engagingan opposite surface on hellcrank I35. Thus, in normal operation de pression of accelerator pedal retraets rod HT through the cooperation of rod not and. bellorank I30 which pulls down on rod 32 to rotate element [3.4 in a clockwise direction and through spring I31 to rotate bellcrank i in a clockwise direction. Superimposed upon this mechanism. is a spring I40 which is stronger than spring 43?. Spring. M0 has one end thereof connected to car 41'' and the other end thereoi connectedto A shaft 533 has.

the second leg of bellcrank l35and is normally not in tension. However, when piston 44 in cylinder 40 travels upward as explained herein it rotates arm 41 in a counterclockwise direction and pulls spring I40. As explained above, spring Hill is stronger than spring l3! and therefore bellcrank I35 is rotated counterclockwise to its extreme position corresponding to a substantially closed throttle condition. Throttle control rod H7 is extended to the left with this motion to efiect a substantial closing of the throttle. Movement of the accelerator pedal under these conditions is ineffectual. When piston 44 in cylinder 40 returns to its initial position in the lower portion of cylinder 40 the tension of spring M is relaxed and the throttle control rod may be operated by motion of the accelerator pedal trans-" mitted through the spring I31.

Features of novelty disclosed but not claimed herein are more particularly described and claimed in the copending applications, Serial Number 661.298 filed by Carl A. Neracher et al.; 687,247, 698,451 and 755,661 filed by Otto W. Schotz and 755,612, filed by Maurice C. Robinson.

I claim:

1. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a transmission having a plurality of speed ratio drives, a clutch, a pressure differential operated motor and means operably connecting said motor with said transmission and said clutch and adapted to disengage said clutch, change the speed ratio drive in said transmission and re-engage said clutch as an incident to actuation of said motor, said engine having a throttle and a throttle control comprising a throttle control lever, accelerator pedal linkage, an operative connection between said linkage and said lever adapted to transmit motion of said linkage to said lever, said connection comprising a spring controlled lost motion connection adapted to transmit motion through said spring only when the force required to move said lever does not exceed a predetermined amount, and means to increase the resistance of said lever to motion, said last mentioned means being operatively connected to said piston motor so that actuation of said motor as an incident to change in transmission speed ratio drive operatively disconnects said accelerator pedal linkage from said throttle lever while said change in speed ratio drive is being efiected.

2. In a motor vehicle having a transmission with a plurality of speed ratio drives, a pressure differential operated motor having an operative connection with said transmission and adapted to change said speed ratio drive when actuated, said vehicle having an internal combustion engine provided with a throttle, means operably connecting said motor with said throttle and adapted to induce actuation ofsaid motor in response to closing of said throttle, a rotatable shaft operatively connected to said throttle and adapted to open and close said throttle when rotated, a first member keyed to said shaft, 9. second member rotatably mounted on said shaft, manual means to rotate said second member, a

spring operatively connecting said members, said first member having a first laterally extending projection thereon, a second rotatable shaft, a second means to rotate said second shaft when a change in transmission speed ratio drive is being effected by actuation of said motor, said second shaft having a laterally extending projection thereon adapted to engage and block said first laterally extending projection when said second shaft is rotated so that rotation of said first mem- 8 ber by said second member is prevented and whereby a change in transmission speed ratio drive being effected by said motor cannot be interrupted by manipulation of said manual means.

3. In a motor vehicle having a clutch and transmission and an engine provided'with a throttle adapted to be actuated by an accelerator pedal, a control mechanism for said transmission and clutch comprising a pressure differential operated'motor, means providing a fluid flow connection between said motor and a source of vacuum, a valve in said connection operable to selectively connect said motor to said source of vacuum and to atmosphere, solenoid means to control the operation of said valve, an electric circuit including a first switch and a vehicle speed responsive switch and operable to selectively energize and deenergize said solenoid in response to opening and closing of said switches and a mechanical connection between said throttle and said first switch operable to close said first switch in response to substantial closing of said throttle and when said vehicle speed responsive switch is also closed to thereby induce actuation of said motor, means operably connecting said motor with said transmission and clutch and adapted to disengage said clutch, change the transmission speed ratio drive and re-engage said clutch as an incident to actuation of said motor, a first movable element operatively connected to said accelerator pedal, a second movable element operatively connected to said throttle, resilient means to transmit motion from said first element to said second element whereby said accelerator pedal controls motion of said throttle, means to restrict movement of said second element, said means being operatively connected to said motor whereby actuation of said motor causes said last mentioned means to restrict movement of said second element and motion of said accelerator pedal is not transmitted to said second element by said resilient means so that driver manipulation of the accelerator pedal cannot interfere with i a previously initiated motor actuation.

4. In a motor vehicle having a clutch and transmission and an engine provided with a throttle controlled by an accelerator pedal, a control mechanism forsaid transmission and clutch comprising a pressure differential operated motor, means providing a fluid flow connection between said motor and a source of vacuum, a valve in said connection operable to selectively connect said motor to said source of vacuum and to atmosphere, solenoid means to control the operation of said valve, an electric circuit including a first switch and a vehicle speed responsive switch and operable to selectively energize and deenergize said solenoid in response to opening and closing of said switches and a mechanical connection between said throttle and said first switch operable to close said first switch in response to substantial closing of said throttle and when said vehicle speed responsive switch is also closed to thereby induce actuation of said motor, means operably connecting said motor with said transmission and said clutch and adapted to disengage said clutch, change the transmission speed ratio drive and re-engage said clutch as an in cident to actuation of said motor, a first movable element operatively connected to said accelerator pedal, a second movable element operatively connected to said throttle, resilient means to transmit motion from said first element to said second element whereby said-accelerator pedal controls motion bf -said throttle, means to mvement of said second element in the direction tending to open said throttle, said last mentioned means being operatively connected to said motor whereby actuation of said motor causes said last mentioned means to restrict movement of said second element so that motion of said accelerator pedal in the direction of an increased engine speed position is not transmitted to said second element by said resilient means and motor actuation which is initiated by release of said accelerator pedal cannot be interrupted by later manipulation of said pedal until said transmissionspeed ratio driveis changed and said clutch re-en'gaged.

5. In a motor vehicle having a clutch and transmission and an engine provided with a throttle and an accelerator pedal, a control mechanism for said transmission and clutch comprising a pressure differential operated motor, means providing a fluid fiow connection between said motor and a source of vacuum, a valve in said connection operable to selectively connect said motor to said source of vacuum and to atmosphere, solenoid means to control the operation of said valve, an electric circuit including a first switch and a vehicle speed responsive switch and operable to selectively energize and deenergize said solenoid in response to opening and closing of said switches and a mechanical connection between said throttle and said first switch operable to close said first switch in response to substantial closing of said throttle and when said vehicle speed responsive switch is also closed to thereby induce actuation of said motor, means operably connecting said motor with said transmission and said clutch and adapted to disengage said clutch, change the transmission speed ratio drive and re-engage said clutch as an incident to actuation of said motor, means to prevent manipulation of said accelerator pedal from interfering with a previously initiated motor actuation, said last mentioned means comprising a rotatable shaft, linkage connecting said shaft with said throttle whereby rotation of said shaft opens and closes said throttle, an arm keyed to said shaft, a collar rotatably mounted on said shaft, linkage connecting said collar with said accelerator pedal adapted to rotate said collar when said accelerator pedal is moved, a spring connecting said collar and said arm so that rotation of said collar rotates said arm and shaft, a second rotatable shaft, linkage connecting said second shaft with said motor and adapted to rtate said second shaft in response to actuation of said motor, an arm keyed to said second shaft and adapted to block motion of said first arm when said second shaft is rotated whereby said spring is unable to transmit motion to said first arm to open said throttle.

G. In a motor vehicle having a clutch and transmission an engine provided with a throttle, a control mechanism for said transmission and clutch comprising a pressure differential operated motor, means providing a fluid flow connection between said motor and a source of vacuum, a valve in said connection operable to selectively connect said motor to said source of vacuum and to atmosphere, solenoid means to control the operation of said valve, an electric circuit including a first switch and a vehicle speed responsive switch and operable to selectively energize and deenergize said solenoid in response to opening and closing or said switches and a mechanical connection between said throttle and said first switch operable to close said first switch in response to substantial closing orsaid throttle and when said vehicle speed responsive switch is also closed to thereby induce actuation orisaid motor, means operably connecting said motor with said transmission and clutch and adapted todisengage said clutch, change the transmission speed ratio drive and rte-engage clutch in response tor'actuat'ionof said motoigfand means responsive to actuation said motor to force said throttle toward its closed position and hold it at this position until said motor actuation is completed whereby the drivercannot interrupt the change vin speed ratio drive and clutch reengagement bythrot'tie manipulatian-- y i lhca motor izehicle. having a clutch and transmission and an engine provided with a throttle and an accelerator pedal, a control mechanism for said transmission and clutch comprising a pressure diiferential operated motor, means providing a fluid flow connection between said motor and a source of vacuum, a valve in said connection operable to selectively connect said motor to said source of vacuum and to atmosphere, solenoid means to control the operation of said valve, an electric circuit including a first switch and a vehicle speed responsive switch and operable to selectively energize and deenergize said solenoid in response to opening and closing of said switches and a mechanical connection between said throttle and said first switch oper able to close said first switch in response to substantial closing of said throttle and when said vehicle speed responsive switch is also closed to thereby induce actuation of said motor, means operably connecting said motor with said transmission and said clutch and adapted to disengage said clutch, change the transmission speed ratio drive and re-engage said clutch in response to actuation of said motor, a first movable element operatively connected to said accelerator pedal, a second movable element operatively connected to said throttle, resilient means to transmit motion from said first element to said second element so that movement of said accelerator pedal induces motion of said throttle, a third means operably connected to said motor and adapted to overcome said resilient means and return said second element and said throttle to substantially closed position whereby the initial closing of said throttle at predetermined vehicle speeds induces actuation of said motor and subsequent manipulation of said accelerator to a position corresponding to an open throttle position is ineii'ective to interrupt the actuation of said motor.

8. In a motor vehicle having a clutch and transmission and an engine provided with a throttle and an accelerator pedal, a control mechanism for said transmission and clutch comprising a pressure diiierential operated motor, means providing a fluid flow connection between said motor and a source of vacuum, a valve in said connection operable to selectively connect said motor to said source of vacuum and to atmosphere, solenoid means to control the operation of said valve, an electric circuit including a first switch and a vehicle speed responsive switch and operable to selectively energize and deenergize said solenoid in response to opening and closing of said switches and a mechanical connection between said throttle and said first switch operable to close said first switch in response to substantial closing of said throttle and when said vehicle speed responsive switch is also closed to tion of said motor, a first movable element operatively connected to said accelerator pedal, a second movable element operatively connected to said throttle, resilient means to transmit motion from said first element to said second element, a third means operably connected to said motor and adapted to overcome said resilient means and return said second element and said throttle to substantially closed position, said third means including a relatively strong spring adapted to be 12 loaded by actuation of said motor and-to over come said resilient means and close said throttle.

OTTO W. SCHOTZ.

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